Historical note
Tuoro is a village on the shores of Lake Trasimeno, with a characteristic medieval appearance, located in a strategic position between Perugia and the Tuscan municipalities.
The origin of its name is traced back to the “toro”, an ancient fishing technique that consisted of building a “tower” of bundles of wood used as a trap for fish.
Its oldest history is linked to the famous battle of Hannibal, which took place in its vicinity in 217 BC, in which Hannibal's Carthaginian army annihilated the Roman army led by consul Caius Flaminius.
the Middle Ages, as the still visible fortresses and towers testify, Tuoro suffered the events and struggles linked to the conquest of its strategic position. Instead, it only experienced a long period of peace when in the 16th century it was included in the dominions of the Church, as an important customs station.
Strolling through the village, among churches, historic buildings and tasting the lake fish specialities
In the historic centre, the church of Santa Maria Maddalena is interesting, with its 23-metre-high dome, so high that Pope Leo XIII called it “a small St Peter’s”. Inside, in the apse, we find the “Washing of Jesus’ feet”, a 1949 fresco by Gerardo Dottori, an important futurist painter from Perugia.
Just outside the town, going towards Sanguineto, you can visit the Palazzo della Capra, built on previous Roman remains that, according to legend, were the mausoleum of the consul Flaminius. Built in its present form in the 15th century, it houses a painting from the church of Vernazzano, attributed to Perugino, and the Hannibal Museum.
In Tuoro it is possible to enjoy typical cuisine based on lake fish, with dishes such as tegamaccio, carpa regina in porchetta or brustico.
Exploring the surroundings, to enjoy the sun at the lido, stroll through history and art, or reach the islands by ferry
At Punta Navaccia, about half an hour’s walk from the centre, is the Lido di Tuoro, with a beach and numerous accommodation and tourist facilities. The whole area is of great natural interest; here you can walk around the Campo del Sole, which houses 27 large column sculptures made of sandstone by famous contemporary Italian and foreign artists. The works, arranged in a spiral with a table surmounted by a sun symbol in the centre, look like modern totems.
From the jetty at Punta Navaccia, it is only a few minutes by ferry to Isola Maggiore.
Also from the centre is the evocative Historical Trail of the Battle of Hannibal. The walk, about 7 km long and of low difficulty, reconstructs the salient phases of the defeat of the Roman army against Hannibal’s Carthaginians. The guided itinerary (panels and reconstructions) allows visitors to identify the areas where the battle took place and see the Ustrina, large pits dug into the limestone where Hannibal is believed to have incinerated the soldiers who died in battle. The ferocity of the historical event is evidenced by the names of the surrounding localities, such as Sanguineto and Ossaia.
About 4 km from the centre, you can reach the castle of Montegualandro, a fortress originally erected by the Etruscans for defensive purposes, as testified by a stele found on the site, now kept at the Archaeological Museum of Perugia.
The castle has always had a strategic position, given its 450 metres of altitude from which it dominated and still dominates both the lake and the road connecting Perugia and the Tuscan cities.
Its position has always seen it at the centre of bloody clashes, the object of destruction and reconstruction in the struggle for control between Perugia and Tuscan families.
The structure cannot be visited as it is private, but it is worth taking a walk because from the site one can enjoy an enchanting view of the lake, and of the Pieve di Confine – so called precisely because it is on the border between Perugian and Tuscan territory – a church erected at the beginning of the 12th century.
Departing from the hamlet of Vernazzano, about 5 km away, it is possible to reach another place from which to enjoy a splendid view of the lake via a path that takes about 20 minutes through the woods: the curious leaning tower of Vernazzano. This is what remains of a medieval castle located along the ancient road between Perugia and Cortona, which fell into decay following looting and earthquakes. Today, the tower is supported by tie rods that preserve it despite its remarkable 13-degree inclination.
Events in Tuoro
In the summer, Tuoro hosts traditional events in which to enjoy its food and wine specialities, such as Ferragosto Torreggiano or the Sagra del Pesce (Fish Festival) in Borghetto.
You can also listen to good music, during Moon in June, on the Isola Maggiore.
How to get there
The village is easy to reach by car, from the Perugia-Bettolle junction of the A1 motorway. It is about 37 km from Perugia and a short distance from Assisi, Arezzo and Siena, making it a strategic accommodation point for visiting these cities. It is also possible to arrive by train from Terontola (along the Florence-Rome line) or from Perugia.
